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6 Workflows that Will Make Your Life Easier

Tiago Santana
05/28/2023

During the last few years, the word “automation” has gained power and territory in the digital world.

As automation becomes increasingly prevalent in the digital world, marketers are constantly on the lookout for ways to streamline their processes and improve efficiency. One tool that has gained popularity in recent years is "workflows." But what exactly is a workflow, and how can it be used to benefit a digital marketing campaign?
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What Is A Workflow?

Workflows are a powerful tool for automating processes in your business. By setting up workflows, you can streamline tasks such as email campaigns, internal processes, and out-of-office replies, saving you time and effort.

At its core, a workflow is a set of automated actions that are triggered by certain events or conditions. For example, a workflow might be set up to automatically send a series of emails to a customer who has abandoned their shopping cart on an eCommerce website. By automating this process, the marketer can focus on other tasks, safe in the knowledge that the workflow will handle the task of re-engaging the potential customer.

Building A Workflow

Building a workflow can seem daunting at first, but with the right tools and a little bit of practice, it can be a straightforward process. Many automation platforms, such as Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign, offer pre-built templates that can be customized to fit the needs of a particular campaign. Alternatively, more advanced users may choose to create their own workflows from scratch using a visual workflow builder.

Once a workflow has been created, it can be set to run automatically in the background, freeing up the marketer to focus on other actions outside of workflow tasks. This can be particularly useful for repetitive or time-consuming tasks, such as sending out a regular newsletter or conducting market research. The logic behind workflows is simple, and once you get the hang of it, you'll wonder how you ever managed without them.

In this article, we will explore some effective and easy-to-implement workflows that are known for their high conversion rates. Keep reading to learn how these strategies can help you save time and achieve better results.

1. Main Pillar Strategy

When it comes to building a successful marketing and sales strategy, it's important to consider the customer journey.

By creating a series of workflows and workflow actions that cover each stage of the customer lifecycle, you can ensure that your contacts receive valuable, relevant content that will help convert them into customers.

This strategy is laid out including one workflow per stage. In each workflow, you may include specific actions to be completed. Thereby, making sure your contacts are a good fit so they can advance into the next lifecycle stage.

There are a few key elements we want to cover regarding this strategy:

How many pieces of content should we include per workflow?

One important aspect to consider when designing a workflow is the number of pieces of content that you should include.

In general, I like to include at least 3 pieces of content in my workflow. This allows me to provide my audience with a variety of information and resources, while also ensuring that the workflow doesn't feel too overwhelming or cluttered.

When deciding on the specific pieces of content to include, I try to focus on creating value for my audience. This might involve providing them with useful tips, resources, or tools that they can use to improve their business or achieve their goals. For example, I might include a marketing email with a submission form for an ebook, or a template for a marketing plan.

What kind of actions should a contact complete to qualify for a particular lifecycle stage?

When it comes to determining the actions that should be taken to qualify for a particular lifecycle stage, it's all about setting goals and making a plan. As no two customer journeys are the same, it's important to consider all possibilities and cover as much ground as possible.

One way to approach this is to put yourself in the shoes of your buyer persona. Think about what they want from your service or product, and what would make them happy. What actions would finally convince them to make a purchase? By considering these questions, you can begin to create a plan for each lifecycle stage.

However, it's crucial to not underestimate the planning process. This is a critical step, and taking the time to thoroughly consider all possibilities and create a solid plan can make a big difference in the success of your marketing efforts.

Here are a few key things to keep in mind when creating a plan for each lifecycle stage:

  • Identify your target audience and create buyer personas to understand their needs and behaviors.
  • Set clear goals for each stage and determine the actions that will help you achieve them.
  • Use data and analytics to track the success of your efforts and make adjustments as needed.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment and try new things – not everything will work, but it's important to be open to innovation.
How many workflows do I need?

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When it comes to creating workflows for your business, it's important to consider both the lifecycle stage and the deal stage of your contacts. This allows you to create a well-rounded strategy that covers both automated marketing efforts and more personalized sales interactions.

Marketing Workflows

Aim to create automated processes that will engage your contacts with fresh and valuable content.

Sales Workflows

Sales workflows are where the real fun is. For your sales workflows, focus on creating more detailed and specific processes that will guide your contacts through the sales pipeline.

Assign tasks to contact owners or sales staff, and aim to create a real conversation between the rep and the prospect. Keep in mind the conversation that is happening at each stage, and tailor your workflow accordingly.

Pro Tip:

While workflows are a valuable automation tool, they can't cover every possible scenario or thought pattern. Don't be afraid to adapt your process as needed, and remember that it's okay if a particular workflow doesn't apply to a certain prospect.

What if a contact doesn’t convert at all?

Not everyone will be ready to convert right away. This could be for a number of reasons:

  • they may not have seen enough about your company.
  • they may not need your services or products at the moment.

But that's okay! Marketing and sales don't always have a perfect formula, and it's important to test and see what works best for your audience.

By paying close attention to your audience, you'll be able to see what they're looking for and what approaches are most effective. This will help you to improve your marketing and sales strategies over time.

However, just because someone doesn't convert immediately doesn't mean that you should neglect them. It's important to continue providing valuable information to keep them engaged and interested in your company. This will help to keep them in your pipeline and may result in them converting at a later date.

The secret is creating content that will tell them "Hey Mr. Prospect, you may not be ready today. But, maybe next week, or next month, or whenever you feel ready, I'm here for you."

 

2. Later Opportunities Workflow

If you want to succeed in sales and inbound marketing, you need to be patient and persistent. Not all of your contacts will be ready to make a purchase or commit to your business right away. Some may need days, weeks, or even months to make a decision. However, the fact that someone is not ready (yet) doesn’t mean you can’t nurture them.

One effective way to nurture these leads is by providing them with regular, valuable content. This could be in the form of:

  • Newsletters
  • Blog posts
  • Social media updates

The key is to make sure that the content is relevant, informative, and genuinely useful to your audience. By offering them something of value, you can keep them engaged and interested in your business.

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By utilizing a workflow like this, you can avoid coming across as pushy or spammy. Instead, you're simply letting your audience know that you're here and available whenever they're ready.

One way to make the most of your workflow is to plan out your content in advance (I have set up workflows like this to cover at least 6 months of valuable content). Doing this gives you the opportunity to ensure that your content is high-quality and aligns with your goals and objectives.

3. Qualifier Workflows

These are small, but powerful tools that can help you segment your database and improve the performance of your campaigns. Here's how to get started:

  1. Meet with your marketing and sales teams to understand the different lifecycle stages for your company. These may vary depending on the nature of your business, so it's important to have a clear understanding of what qualifies a contact as a sales qualified lead or an opportunity.
  2. Attach these concepts to specific actions that your contacts take within your content, website, or overall activity. This will help you identify where a contact is in their lifecycle stage and determine how to best engage with them.
  3. Set up workflows to enroll contacts based on the criteria you've established for each lifecycle stage. Keep it simple and let the workflow software do the heavy lifting. This will help you qualify your contacts and keep your database organized and segmented.

In the long run, these simple workflows will help you improve the performance of your campaigns and drive better results for your business.

4. Workflows For Each Form Within Your Website

As a busy marketer, you know how important it is to keep up with every email and meeting. But let's face it, it can be overwhelming to manually take care of every submission for any form on your website. That's where automation comes in!

One way to automate your workflow is to set up automated emails based on submission forms. For example, when someone fills out a form on your website requesting information, you can send them a thank you email that includes a realistic timeframe for when they can expect a response from you.

Not only does this make your life easier, but it also shows your prospects that you care about their requests and are willing to put in the effort to help them. This is an important part of the nurturing process, as it can ultimately lead to converting prospects into paying customers.

5. Holidays Workflows

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Holidays can be a hectic time for businesses, especially when it comes to managing customer expectations and maintaining clear communication. That's where workflows come in. Workflows are automated processes that help you streamline your business operations and ensure that your customers are always informed and taken care of.

Is your office going to be closed for the holidays?

One of the key features of workflows is the ability to schedule events and actions in advance. This is especially useful when it comes to planning for holidays and other important dates. With date-centered workflows, you can easily set up automatic notifications and other actions that will take place on specific dates, without having to manually manage each one.

You can use workflows to automatically send out email notifications to your customers a few days before your office will be closed for a holiday. This ensures that your customers are aware of any potential delays or disruptions to your usual business operations, and helps prevent any misunderstandings or frustration.

By implementing workflows into your business operations, you can ensure that your holidays run smoothly, and your customers are always informed and taken care of. So why not give it a try and see the benefits for yourself?

6. Email Campaigns

Email campaigns may have a reputation for being outdated, but they're actually more popular than ever. According to Statista, in 2021, there were an estimated 319.6 billion emails sent and received daily around the world.

That's a lot of competition, but don't let that scare you. With the right approach, you can create a successful email campaign that will help your business stand out from the crowd.

Here are a few tips to run effective email campaigns:

  • Create top-notch content: Your content should be well-written, engaging, and relevant to your audience. Don't be afraid to experiment with different formats, such as videos, infographics, and interactive elements.
  • Select your audience carefully: Segment your list into different groups based on factors like age, location, and interests. This will help you tailor your content to the specific needs of each group and improve the chances of them engaging with your emails.
  • Set up workflows: Workflows allow you to automate certain tasks, such as sending follow-up emails or sending personalized messages to different segments of your audience.
  • Use delays wisely: Plan out your email schedule in advance and include strategic delays between each message. This will help you avoid bombarding your audience and give them time to engage with each email.

Conclusion

Workflows are a powerful tool for automating processes, both internally and externally. They can help your company save time, improve efficiency, and streamline operations. However, it's important to remember that workflows are not a one-size-fits-all solution. They require experimentation and trial-and-error to find the best approach for your particular needs.

Let Us Do The Heavy Lifting

Are you ready to take the next step and improve your company's efficiency with workflows?  At gardenpatch, our team is here to help you every step of the way. Don't miss out on this opportunity to improve your company's operations. Talk to one of our growth advisors today!

 

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